Tube Vs. SS Preamps


Oddly in +25 yrs in the hobby, I’ve never really owned a tube preamp. Can you comment on what the differences are in general sonic terms? I want a really fatigue free sound with lots of body (I run class A and class AB solid state amps).

Do you find SS preamps to be fatiguing typically, more so on average than tube ones? Or is it simply the added bloom that's appealing with tube preamps?

greg7

Showing 1 response by rbertalotto

I always find this TUBE vs SS discussion entertaining.....If not silly. After near 50 years as an audiophile and 40 years in the HiFi business, I've found there is as much musical difference among various SS and tube  amps and preamps as there is between SS products and tube products.......If there wasn't, there would be far fewer manufacturers and no need for reviews, magazines and forums such as this.

Mush more important, is the combination of devices......You can buy all the amps, preamps, DACs, streamers, turntables, cartridges and speakers you want. Buy the most expensive and highly rated products on the market, put them all together and in many, if not most cases, the total system will sound terrible. 

This is the VERY difficult part of Audiophilia......There are hundreds of thousands of combinations....And hitting one that works for you might be like hitting the Lottery.

But THAT'S what makes the hobby so much fun......It's the hunt!